Knitting machine



R. H. LAWSON ET AL 1,883,990

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 10. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /aa, ll"

3s fzvvzzvrazes: FoBERrHLAwsom ARTHUR]! CLOUT1ER, l2 2 44B I Y 27901 AW 3 Arr).

Oct. 25, 1932. LAWSON ET AL 1,883,990

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J N YENTOR s Ra BERTHLAWSOAI, ARTHUR M (101177152 Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED fiTATES PATEN OFFlCE ROBERT H. LAWSON, OF PAWTUCKET, AND ARTHUR N. CLOUTIER, OF LONSDALE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOBS TO HEMPHILL COMPANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS KNITTING MACHINE Application filed March 10, 1930. Serial No. 434,604.

This invention relates to knitting machines of the type disclosed in the patent to Hemphill 933,443, September 7, 1909, and specifically to an improved gap closing means therefor. During heel and toe reciprocating knitting the instep needles are in an elevated, inactive position though they reciprocate to and fro across the opening in the latch ring provided by the mouthpiece. Due

to centrifugal force, certain of the needle latches of the idle instep needles may swing out and either become bent or broken by the side walls of the mouthpiece or may be closed thereby. Means are herein provided automatically to close the gap or opening in the mouthpiece and thus maintain the needle latches open throughout the knitting of the heel and toe pockets, so that when the instep needles are retracted to the active knitting level they will all take yarn for the first circular course following the knitting of a heel or toe pocket.

In addition to maintaining the latches of the instep or other needles closed during the knitting of the heel and toe or other reciprocating knitting, the gap closing means also serves to protect the needles from the descending yarn levers should the latch ring be raised during the knitting of the heel or 3; toe or other reciprocating knitting.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of alatch ring and the gap closing mechanism carried therey;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, but with the latch ring broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section taken along the line 3-3, Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken along the line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a View in elevation partly in section and taken on the line 55, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view.

The latch ring designated by the reference character 1 is provided with the usual mouthpiece 2. Upstanding from the latch ring are lugs 3 supporting a pin 4 and upon the pin are pivotally mounted yarn levers 510 inclusive which, when in operative positions,

feed threads or yarns to the needles and through the opening 11 in the mouthpiece 2. The lever 5 is adapted, when in operative position, to feed the heel and toe yarn or thread to the heel and toe needles.

The gap closing mechanism includes a bar or rod 12 slidable through an opening 13 in the latch ring, across the opening 11 and into a recess 14 provided by the latch ring 1 and mouthpiece 2. The bar 12 supported at each side of the mouthpiece by the horizontal portions 15 and 16 thereof is automatically controlled to slide across the mouthpiece immediately after the heel and toe lever drops to feeding position, and at the level of the raised, instep needle latches to prevent the latter from closing; the bar 12 when in the active position, Fig. 3, being substantially tangentially disposed with relation to the circle of needles although spaced somewhat therefrom.

The bar 12 is moved across the mouthpiece as dictated by pattern cams 17 or indications carried by pattern mechanism such as a pattern drum 18 mounted upon and turning with a main cam shaft 19 The operative connections between the bar 12 and cams 17 are specifically disclosed in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6 where in the bar 12 is slotted as at 20 to receive slidably therein a pin 21 consisting of a screw in threaded engagement with a post 22 which is mounted upon and carried by the latch ring post or bracket 23 which additionally serves as a pivotal support for the latch ring. A collar or bushing 24 is attached to the rod 12 intermediate its ends by means of a screw 25 passing therethrough and into threaded engagement with the rod 12. A link 26 at one end thereof is pivotally mounted upon the shank of the screw 25 and at its toe.

other end is pivoted at 27 to one arm 28 of a bell crank lever 29, the arm 28 being oifset between its ends as at 30. The bell crank lever 29 is pivotally mounted upon the shank of a screw 31 which passes through a spacing collar 32 and into threaded engagement with bracket 23. Pivotally carried at 33, by and depending from the other arm 34 of the bell crank lever, is a link 35, the lower end of which is adjustably and slidably received through holes provided in a hub or bushing 36. A set screw 37 serves to retain the link 35 in adjusted position and a screw 38 in threaded engagement with an arm 39 of a lever pivoted at 40 to the machine frame, projects into the hub or bushing 36, to serve as a pivotal support therefor and permit the link 35 to rock. The arm 39 of the mentioned lever has attached thereto intermediate its ends a spring 41 connected to a convenient part of the machine frame and tending to maintain the arm in a relatively raised position and the gap closing bar 12 in the operative position of Fig. 5. The other arm 42 of the said lever is provided with a toe 43 normally held in contact with the surface of the drum 18 or cams 17 mounted thereon by the spring 41.

An important feature of the present invention consists in mounting the bar 12 upon a pivot coaxial with or approximately coaXial with the pivot of the latch ring and the positioning of the pivots 25 and 27 so that when the bar 12 is in the retracted position of Figs. 1 and 6, the axes of the latch ring and bar 12 and pivot 25 will be in approximate alignment or as nearly so as possible and that when the bar 12 is projected, Fig. 5, the axes of the latch ring and bar 12 and pivot 27 will be in approximate alignment or as nearly so as possible. Otherwise upon the raising of the latch ring, the bar 12 would either creep or move across or retract from the gap or opening in the latch ring provided for the reception of the yarn levers 5-10 inclusive, or bind and prevent the latch ring from rising to the desired extent.

The spring 41 acting, as it does, to maintain the bar 12 projected across the gap or opening 11 in the mouthpiece, serves a very useful purpose during the knitting of the heel and V Should a yarn break or for any other cause should it be desired to raise the latch ring, the bar 12 maintained projected across the opening 11 by the spring 41, as shown in Fig. 3 protects the raised, instep needles. The idle levers 61O inclusive are normally maintained in elevated position by means of other levers 44 and upon elevation of the latch ring the yarn levers 610 are released by the said other levers 44 and springs 45 tend to force the levers 610 to a lowered position in contact with the mouthpiece 2. If the bar 12 were not interposed between the levers 610 and the mouthpiece, the said levers would drop and bend or break the raised, instep needles if the machine were stopped with such instep needles opposite the mouthpiece. Care ordinarily has to be taken and the needle cylinder turned to such a position that the active, heel needles which are at a lower level, are opposite the mouthpiece whenever it is necessary to elevate the latch ring. However, the bar 12 maintained in projected, gap closing position by means of a spring such as 41 permits the needle cylinder to be stopped with the raised, instep needles opposite the mouthpiece without danger of the descending yarn levers 610 damaging or breaking some of the instep needles should it become necessary to elevate the latch ring for any purpose.

During circular knitting, a cam 17 in engagement with the toe 43 of the lever maintains lever arm 42 in elevated position and the other arm of the said lever depressed. At the same time the arm 34 of the bell crank lever 28 is maintained in its lowermost position and the other arm 30 of the bell crank lever is retracted, Fig. 6, thus holding the gap closing bar 12 retracted as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. As the heel and toe lever 5 drops to the feeding position, Fig. 3, the cam drum 18 is moved which withdraws a cam 17 from under the toe 43 of the lever and permits the spring 41 to elevate the other arm of the lever and rock the bell crank lever 29 from the position of Figs. 1 and 6 to that shown in Fig. 5, thus projecting the gap closing bar 12 across the opening in the mouthpiece to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and above the lever 5 which feeds thread or yarn to the heel and toe needles only, the instep needles, during the knitting of a. heel or toe, being in an elevated idle position.

Other levers 46 shown broken away in Fig. 1, are controlled through other cams carried by the cam shaft 19, but as the said levers 46 and parts controlled thereby form no essential part of the present invention a detailed description and a complete disclosure in the drawings has been omitted.

lVhile the foregoing description has set forth the various parts included in the gap closing mechanism in specific terms, the invention is not otherwise limited than is required by the terms of the claims appended.

We claim 1. A latch ring, yarn guides mounted therein, an opening for the yarn guides being provided in the latch ring, a bar slidable transversely across said opening, and adapted to be yieldingly maintained in such position, said latch ring and bar being pivoted substantially coaxially, whereby when the latch ring swings away from the needle cylinder to any position desired, the bar may swing with it without being retracted from its position across the said opening in the latch ring.

2. A latch ring support, a latch ring pivotally mounted thereupon and having an in the said latch a pin carried by the latch ring support and being received within theslot and thereby supporting the bar, the bar being controlled'in its said sliding move- -ments by automatic means, said automatic means consisting of a 7 pattern mechanism having cams thereon, a lever one arm thereof being normally in engagement with the pattern drum or cams thereon, a link connected at one end to the other arm of the said lever, a bell crank lever, the said link at its other end in turn being connected to one arm of the bell crank lever, a link connected at one end thereof to the other arm of the bell crank lever and at its other end to the bar, whereby the bar is advanced and retracted across the opening in the latch ring as dictated by the aforesaid cams on the pattern drum.

3. A latch ring support, a latch ring pivotally mounted thereupon and having an opening therein through which threads are adapted to be fed to needles of a knitting ma chine, in combination with a slotted bar slidable transversely across the said opening in the said latch ring, a pin carried by the latch ring support and being received within the slot and thereby supporting the bar, the pin and latch ring pivot being in approximate alignment, the bar being controlled in its said sliding movements by automatic means, said automatic means consisting of a pattern mechanism having cams thereon, a lever having one arm thereof normally in engagement with the pattern drum or cams thereon, a link connected at one end to the other arm of the said lever, a bell crank lever, the said link at its other end in turn being connected to one arm of the bell crank lever, a link connected at one end thereof to the other arm of the bell crank lever and at its other end to the bar, whereby the bar is advanced and retracted across the opening in the latch ring as dictated by the aforesaid cams on the pattern drum.

4. A latch ring for knitting machines, said latch ring being provided with an opening through which threads are adapted to be fed to needles of a knitting machine, a bar movable transversely of and adapted to be yieldingly maintained across the opening in the latch ring to close the said opening at desired times, the latch ring adapted to be moved away from the needles to any extent desired, and the bar, when the latch ring is so moved, being movable therewith, but not, due to the moving of the latch ring, independently thereof to a retracted position.

5. A latch ring for use in circular knitting machines and having a thread feeding opening in one portion thereof, a member pivotally and slidably mounted adjacent to one end thereof, and adapted by its sliding movements to be projected across the said opening in the latch ring or retracted to a position free of the said opening, automatically operating means for timing and controlling the movements of the said member with respect" to the opening in the latch ring said means being connected to the said. member between the ends of the latter.

6. A latch ring for use in circular knitting machines, a member movably mounted and adapted to move transversely of the latch ring, means for automatically controlling and timing the movements of the member and mechanically connected thereto between the 1 endsthereof, said; member being slidably and I; pfivotally mounted adjacent to one end there- 7. A latch ring for use in circular knitting machines having an opening provided therein-T adapted for the passage of threads to needles of a knitting machine, a member movable transversely of the opening in the latch ring, means for pivotally supporting. the latch ring and member, means in combination therewith adapted automatically to move the member to and fro across the opening in the latch ring, said means being connected to the said member, the pivotal connections of the latch ring and member and a connection between the automatic controlling means and member, all being. approximate alignment I when the member is in projected positiom 8. A latch ring for use in circular knitting machines-having an opening provided therein adapted for the passage of threads to needles of a knitting machine, a member movable transversely of the opening in the latch ring, means for pivotally supporting the latch ring and member, and means in combination there with adapted automatically to move the memher to andfro across the opening in the latch ring and acting, to maintain the member across the opening in the latch ring whilethe said latch ring is being raised to its fullest extent. 9. A l atch ring for use in circular knitting machines said latch ring having an opening provided therein adapted for the passage of threads to needles of a. knitting machine, a slotted member movable transversely of the opening of the latch ring, means for pivotally supporting the latch ring and member, the said means being engaged in the slot of the member and: thereby adapted to support the-said member for sliding and pivotal move-' 1 ments, and means, connected to the said member, adapted automatically to'move the'member to and froacross' the opening in the-latch ring.

11). A latch ring for use'in circular knitting machines, an: opening provided therein adaiptedfor the passage of threads; teneedles ot'a-knittin'g machine,- a-slcttedabd'e; transversely of thee-opening in the, latcll ring, imeans forpivotallg supponting the latch-3 n. Pnected to the said member adapted automati- 'cally to move the member to and fro across the opening in the latch ring, the pivotal connections of the latch ring and member and a connection between the automatic controlling means and member, all being in approximate alignment when the member is in projected position.

11. A knitting machine, a latch ring therefor and having a thread feeding opening therein, a member movable to and fro across the said opening, and automatic means for controlling the said to and fro movements of the said member, said automatic means including spring means tending to hold the aforesaid member across the opening in the latch ring.

12. A latch ring for use in circular knitting machines, an opening therein adapted for the passage of threads to the needles of a knitting machine, a bar slidable transversely across the said opening in the latch ring, and means for automatically controlling the sliding movements of the bar, said automatic means including spring means tending to hold the aforesaid member across the opening in the latch ring.

13. A latch ring for use in circular knitting machines, an opening therein adapted for the passage of threads to needles of a knitting machine, a slotted bar adapted to be moved to and fro across the said opening, a pin passing through the said slot and serving to support the said bar in its said to and fro movements.

14. A latch ring for use in circular knitting machines, an opening provided therein adapted for the passage of threads to needles of a knitting machine, a member movable transversely of the opening in the latch ring, means for pivotally supporting the latch ring and member, and means in combination therewith adapted automatically to move the memher to and fro across the opening in the latch ring, said means being connected to the said member, thepivotal connections of the latch ring and member and a connection between the automatic controlling means and member, all being in approximate alignment when the member is in retracted position.

15. A latch ring for use with circular knitting machines having an opening therein through which threads or yarns are adapted to be fed to needles of a knitting machine, a member movable across the said opening and yieldingly maintained in such position and thereby serving to protect the needles.

16. A latch ring for use in circular knitting machines of the independent needle type having an opening therein through which of a knitting machine, a member movable across the said openingand serving, when so moved, to protect the needles, means yieldingly urging the member to move to a position to close the said opening, and other means positively connected to the said member and acting to retract the said member from the position first mentioned.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

ROBERT H. LAWSON. ARTHUR N. CLOUTIER.

threads or yarns may be fed to the needles 

